2025 MLS Mock Draft: Final Mock 3 Rounds

Round 1 Picks 16-30

Chris Ransom follow @DraftUtopia Last Updated: December 20, 2024.

16. Colorado Rapids: Ian Smith, D, Denver
    
    
    Colorado drafts a left back here after losing Jasper Loffelsend in the 2024 MLS Expansion Draft. Ian Smith plays the 2 at left back on the Denver Pioneers.
    
    
    
    The 6-1 185 lb Ian Smith plays the 2 left back, but has the size of a center back. Ian Smith had 2 goals, 10 assists, 12 points, and 10 shutouts with the Denver Pioneers as a junior redshirt in 2024.
    
    
    
17. Charlotte FC: Tate Johnson, D, North Carolina
    
    
    Charlotte FC ran a 4-3-3 formation during the 2024 MLS Playoffs. Charlotte FC went from missing the playoffs, to making the play in tournament with a new head coach, to making the playoffs with their third different head coach in three years. Both of their former number one overall draft picks Ben Bender and Hamady Diop were unprotected in the 2024 MLS Expansion Draft. Way to set the bar Dave Tepper. That's sarcasm, but let's break down Charlotte FC in further detail.
    
    
    
    Charlotte FC's veterans at forward underperformed in these playoffs, but they found their future starters at forward. Liel Abada stepped up at the 11 at left winger and he's only 23-years-old coming off a 7 goals, 2 assists, and 9 point season with only 3 yellow cards in 27 starts. The 24-year-old Patrick Agyemang the twelfth overall pick in the 2023 MLS Super Draft finally broke out with 10 goals, 3 assists, 5 yellow cards, and started all 34 matches in the regular season. He took the starting striker job from veteran Nick Swiderski. Charlotte FC has Kerwin Vargas, a versatile 22-year-old winger with the versatility to play both left winger and right winger locked up under contract until 2027. Abada and Vargas started 2 games in the 2024 MLS Playoffs and Charlotte has all three of their future starting forwards on this roster.
    
    
    
    Brandt Bronico will be back at left midfielder as he started all three playoff games at left midfielder. Bronico played the 6 at defensive midfielder in college, but transitioned to the 8 at central midfielder when he got to the MLS. This makes him a good asset to have as your left midfielder providing a reinforcement for your defense as Bronico had 1 goal, 5 assists, 6 points, helped Charlotte FC get 11 shutouts, and had 5 yellow cards at the age of 29 whose locked up until the end of next year with a club option for 2026. Ashley Westwood plays the 6 at defensive midfielder, but he lines up in the middle as an 8 at central midfielder lining up as a central midfielder with the responsibilities of a defensive midfielder as Ashley Westwood turns 34 and has the size of a fullback despite doing well defensively in those 10 shutouts. His 2 goals, 5 assists, 7 points, 10 shutouts, and 7 yellow cards in 36 starts leaves a lot to be desired. At the same token, he wasn't horrible enough to lose his job either as his contract runs through 2026 with an option for 2027. Djbril Diani the other starter will permanently replace their other right midfielder Junior Urso as the right midfielder after Diani broke out as a defensive midfielder with 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 points, 10 shutouts, and 4 yellow cards in 2024. Ben Bender the former number one pick in the 2022 MLS Super Draft played left midfielder as a rookie, but got demoted to a backup midfielder role. Bender still played well enough to remain on this roster and got an option for next year despite being available in the 2024 MLS Expansion Draft.
    
    
    
    Charlotte FC has Tim Ream playing the 2 at left back locked up until 2026 with a club option for 2027, Andrew Privett the 4 at sweeper is back as the main center back as the 24-year-old Privett played 33 out of 34 regular season games and started all 3 playoff games in their first round loss to Orlando City S.C. Adilson Malanda came to Charlotte FC from France and he plays the 5 at center back complimenting Andrew Privett. He's uder contract until 2027 with a club option for 2028. Nathan Byrne started all 34 games playing the 3 at right back in 2024. When breaking down this team in depth it is easy to see why Charlotte FC got 10 shutouts.
    
    
    
    Kristijan Kahlina plays the 1 as the starting goalie for Charlotte FC as Kahlina started all 34 games only allowing 3 goals in 3,060 minutes with 121 saves, a 76.6% save percentage, and 12 clean sheets which is slang for shutouts in the MLS. Charlotte FC also added David Bingham with 202 career games played as their backup goalie as Bingham started on San Jose and the Los Angeles Galaxy before being the backup goalie on the Portland Timbers the last three years. George Marks Charlotte FC's 2022 third round pick out of Clemson recorded 3 shutouts in MLS Next after getting demoted from Charlotte's main roster in 2023 to MLS Next. He actually played well enough to earn another year with Charlotte FC in MLS Next and most third round picks get cut during their rookie year which says a lot about George Marks and the progress he's made.
    
    
    
    The 5-8 150 lb Tate Johnson only had 1 goal, 2 assists, 4 points, and helped North Carolina record 5 shutouts on a back line that featured Charlie Harper and Riley Thomas at center back. Tate Johnson got an invite to the 2024 MLS College Showcase over both ACC Freshman Of The Year Ransford Gyan and Niklas Soerensen the Pitt center back that I mocked second overall behind Alex Harris in my initial 2025 MLS Mock Draft. With a veteran like Tim Ream who played on Team USA as a rookie second round pick back in 2010 to mentor the 19-year-old Tate Johnson.
    
    
    
    Charlotte FC is one team in the back half that can gamble on Johnson. Pittsburgh right back Casper Svenby, Clemson midfielder Joran Gerbet who played right back at both Clemson as well as his first alma matter Oregon State, Ohio State left back Deylen Veilos, SMU left back Kyan Chambron Pinho got invited ot the 2024 MLS College Showcase, Vermont left back Mike Bleeker, Vermont right back Nathan Simeone, and Denver right back Ronan Wynne are all alternatives if Dave Tepper wants to reconsider drafting a freshman left back for depth at 17. Charlotte needs depth at fullback and there's eight decent alternatives at 17 even if Charlotte FC misses out on Ian Smith.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Ask Ekeland, M, Boston College
    
    
    
    
18. Houston Dynamo F.C.: Donovan Parisian, G, San Diego
    
    
    Houston Dynamo F.C. goalie Steve Clark is 38-years-old. His contract is up, but Houston and Clark have mutual interest to remain together. There's not a goalie prospect in Houston's Academy or the MLS Super Draft where Houston Dynamo F.C. can transition once Steve Clark retires. That's why Sporting Kansas City took Georgetown goalie Ryan Schewe to groom behind Tim Meila before Sporting Kansas City benched Meila and let him walk when his contract was up.
    
    
    
    Donovan Parisian was 6-2 200 lbs when enrolling as a freshman at San Diego in 2023. He's now 6-4 205 lbs and could bulk up to 210, 215, 220, or maybe even 225 lbs depending on how long Steve Clark remains in MLS.
    
    
    
    Donovan Parisian won back-to-back state Championships as a junior in 2021 and a senior in 2022 at Casteel High School in his hometown of Queen Creek, Arizona. Donovan Parisian went 1-2-1 with a 0.75 goals against average, a .786 save percentage, and 1 shutout in his four college starts as a true freshman in 2023. Donovan Parisian started all 16 games with a 13-3 record 11 goals allowed, a 0.69 goals against average, a .780 save percentage, 39 saves, 8 shutouts, and his 136 shots faced bested the 134 shots faced that Sporting Kansas City 2024 first round goalie Ryan Schewe dealt with at Georgetown in his draft year a season ago.
    
    
    
    My final argument for Donovan Parisian as the first goalie off the board is that he beat Duke goalie Wessel Speel whose the only goalie to be a semifinalist for the 2024 Hermann Trophy in the round of 32 in this years College Soccer Tournament in a 1-0 shutout where Parisian shutout Duke. Donovan Parisian also had shutouts against Oregon State. His last four shutouts were all on the road against San Francisco, Pacific, Loyola Marymount, and Duke who has the goalie competing with Parisian to be the first goalie drafted. Vermont ended San Diego's season with a 1-0 victory in the Sweet 16, but Parisian did really good for a first year starter when taking a deep dive at his resume as San Diego's starting goalie.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Trace Alphin, G, Wake Forest
    
    
19. Real Salt Lake: Jason Belloli, D, Denver
    
    
    Real Salt Lake crushed it in the 2024 MLS Super Draft as they drafted Matthew Bell in the first round at striker and their second round pick Josh Jones won USL2 center back of the year. Josh Jones was my top center back a year ago, but I'd rather examine the roster of Real Salt Lake as they got Pablo Masteroni as their head coach. Their other first round pick Kevin Bonilla of Portland got terminated from the organization as his contract was declined. They also were the hottest Western Conference Team to end the regular season before losing to Minnesota United F.C. in the first round on penalty kicks. Real Salt Lake ran a 4-2-3-1 formation with four defensemen, two central midfielders playing box-to-box multitasking both offensively and defensively, three attacking midfielders with two wingers in addition to one attacking midfielder in the middle, and one central forward at striker.
    
    
    
    Anderson Julio had 9 goals, 3 assists, 12 points, and only 1 yellow card in 35 starts this season as the 9 at striker during the regular season and the playoffs. Last years 2024 first round pick Matthew Bell made enough progress in MLS Next to learn under Julio as his backup.
    
    
    
    Diego Luna played the 11 at left winger. The 21-year-old Diego Luna had 8 goals, 8 assists, 16 points, and 6 yellow cards in 33 matches with his contract secured through 2026. Matt Crooks only had 3 goals, 5 assists, and 8 points in 23 starts playing the 10 at attacking midfielder even though he's under contract for two more years and got brought back. Dominick Marczuk played the 7 at right winger and he's back too. Braian Ojeda is a 24-year-old central midfielder who posted 2 goals, 4 assists, 6 points, and 5 yellow cards despite starting 35 games while also playing on Paraguay's National team. Nelson Palacio the other starting central midfielder only had 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 points, and 2 yellow cards in 25 matches, but he's on Colombia's National team despite only being 23-years-old.
    
    
    
    Alex Katranis plays the 2 at left back and he's back. Justin Glad plays the 4 at sweeper despite the 27-year-old only starting 27 out of 34 games. The Javian Brown played left back at South Florida before making the transition to right back with the Vancouver Whitecaps. Vancouver waived 2021 first round pick Javian Brown and Pablo Masteroni tried Brown at center back despite his size at 5-11 165 lbs. Eneka Eneli started at rght back in the 2024 MLS Playoffs with most of the defense from the playoffs back.
    
    
    
    Zac MacMath remains the starting goalie. Gavin Beavers the backup goalie had his option exercised.
    
    
    
    Real Salt Lake has most of their starters locked up. I think getting a bigger center back like Jason Belolli will be a priority.
    
    
    
    The 6-3 195 lb Jason Belloli can play the 4 at sweeper or the 5 at center back as the main or complimentary center back on an MLS team. Jason Belloli is a three year starter at center back for Denver. Jason Beloli has 1 goal, 0 assists, 2 points in 2024. Jason Belloli helped Denver record 13 shutouts in his first year as a starting center back in 2022, he helped Denver record 11 shutouts in 2023, and he helped Denver record 4 shutouts this year in 2024.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Guilherme Feitosa, M, Pittsburgh
    
    
    
    
20. Los Angeles Galaxy: Trevor Wright, D, Denver
    
    
    The Los Angeles Galaxy traded someone to FC Cincinnati. They got FC Cincinnat's 2024 first round pick as a result.
    
    
    
    The Los Angeles Galaxy have 4 10 goal scorers and the only team in MLS history to do that. Left winger Joseph Painstil who plays the 11 is back, striker Dejan Joveljic who plays the 9 is back, right winger Gabriel Pec is back. Guys like Diego Fagundez, Tucker Lepley, and Gino Vivi can be assets as backup forwards despite the Los Angeles Galaxy trading Preston Judd away to San Jose for allocation money.
    
    
    
    Left midfielders Riqui Puig is back. Edwin Cerrillo is back at central midfielder at the 8. Both Marco Reus and Mark Delgado who rotated at right midfielder in the 2024 Western Conference Finals and 2024 MLS Cup.
    
    
    
    John Nelson is back at left back, Emiro Garces is back at center back, Miki Yamane is back at right back, and starting goalie John McCarthy who won the 2022 MLS Cup as a backup goalie on LAFC captured his second MLS Cup. Team captain Maya Yoshida the sweeper on the Los Angeles Galaxy saw his contract expire, but they haven't brought him back yet after winning their first MLS Cup in ten years. Martin Caceres the backup center back also saw his option declined. Backup goalie Brady Scott also saw his option declined.
    
    
    
    The 6-3 200 lb Trevor Wright is a four year starter. He missed the 2023 season due to an injury, but has been fully healthy in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024 starting every game. Trevor Wright played all 90 minutes in every game this season and he played 110 minutes in the double overtime game against Vermont. Trevor Wright actually mentored Jason Belloli when he first got to Denver before his injuries occured. Trevor Wright had 2 goals, 2 assists, 6 points, and helped Denver record 10 shutouts in 2024. Denver had double digit shutouts in 2022 and 2024 when the trio of Ian Smith, Jason Belloli, and Trevor Wright were all fully healthy.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Owen Zarnick, D, SMU
    
    
    
    
21. Columbus Crew: Marco Silva, M, Marshall
    
    
    The Columbus Crew run a 3-4-2-1 formation. Columbus has every starter from this years playoff loss to the New York Red Bulls back except their starting right winger and backup right winger. Marco Silva on Marshall makes a lot of sense here.
    
    
    
    The 5-11 160 lb Marco Silva plays the 7 at right winger. Marco Silva had 7 goals, 5 assists, and 19 points as a freshman redshirt in 2023. Marco Silva had 5 goals, 2 assists, and 12 points as a sophomore redshirt in 2024.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Chris Meyers, D, Washington
    
    
22. Inter Miami C.F.: Wessell Speel, G, Duke
    
    
    Inter Miami C.F. has a pretty stacked roster. Every starter and backup from their 2024 roster is back. Inter Miami C.F. lost three of their backup goalies, but their quality starter is back with 27-year-old Drake Callander. As long as Messi is on Inter Miami C.F. there will be a championship window here.
    
    
    
    Moving the pick for allocation money is probably plan A. If that backfires, then taking a backup goalie that's the highest on their board might be plan B. Wessell Speel the Duke goalie was the only goalie to be nominated for the Hermann Trophy, College Soccer's version of the Heisman Trophy, but I had Michigan State goalie Zac Kelley graded slightly higher than Speel with second round grades on both goalies. The reality is both Speel and Kelley could get pushed into the late first round with Inter Miami C.F. needing a backup goalie and Colorado needing a starting goalie at the MLS level. Inter Miami C.F. will take the guy they like more between those two and Colorado will get whose leftover with the first round pick that belonged to LAFC. I'm leaning towards Wessell Speel since he has massive size for a goalie that plays the 1 along with being the only Hermann Trophy finalist at goalie this year despite losing to San Diego's goalie.
    
    
    
    The 6-7 200 lb Wessell Speel started four years at Hofstra with 8 shutouts and 72 saves in 2021 as a true sophomore before having a career high 9 shutouts and a .788 save percentage in his final year at Hofstra in 2023. Wessell Speel had a 11-4-4 record, a .714 save percentage, and a 0.99 goals against average in his final NCAA season at Duke. David Beckham has the luxury to gamble on Speel with most of Inter Miami C.F's starters and backups locked up. This is also the tallest goalie I've scouted in my entire history of covering the MLS Super Draft dating back to 2011.
    
    
    
    
    
23. Atlanta United F.C.: Hakim Karamoko, M, North Carolina State
    
    
    Atlanta United F.C. has most of their starters back, but loses central midfielder Dax McCartney to retirement. That's the lone starter Atlanta United F.C. lost.
    
    
    
    The 6-0 185 lb Hakim Karamoko is raw with only 7 goals, 2 assists, and 16 points. He has speed you cannot teach and his athletic traits translate to the MLS in spades. He has the versatility to play the 8 at central midfielder and the 11 at left winger. The speed and versatility why Karamoko is gonna get pushed into the first round, and Atlanta United F.C. is the one team left on the board where Karamoko could be a day 1 starter in the MLS.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Riley Thomas, D, North Carolina
    
    
24. New York City F.C.: Nathan Simeon, D, Vermont
    
    
    New York City F.C. has most of their starters back. Their starting right back got a red card against FC Cincinnati, so I'm mocking a new right back to replace him. Nathan Simeon played the 4 at sweeper and the 5 at center back on the San Francisco Dons. When he entered the transfer portal and enrolled at Vermont, he moved to the 3 at right back.
    
    
    
    The 5-11 165 lb Nathan Simeon reminds me of Javier Brown, Vancouver's 2021 first round pick. I think he's a more accurate passer. He had 2 goals, 8 assists, and 12 points in three years at San Francisco. Nathan Simeon had 0 goals, 3 assists, and 8 shutouts with Vermont in 2024. I could be reaching for Simeon in what is a good fullback draft for left backs and right backs, but Simeon's assist to Bazini was clutch and I felt like making a shock value pick with New York City F.C. at 24.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Jason Belloli, D, Denver
    
    
    
    
25. Minnesota United F.C.: Ronan Wynne, D, Denver
    
    
    Minnesota United F.C. has most of their starters back. Right back at the 3 is the lone glaring need. Ronan Wynne is the final starting defenseman on the Denver Pioneers and he finally comes off the board at 25.
    
    
    
    The 5-11 160 lb Ronan Wynne got hyped up on ESPN U as the headline player for Denver in the 2024 College Cup, but the hype was warranted as this was a guy I intially underlooked. Ronan Wynne had 2 goals, 6 assists, 10 points, and helped Denver record 10 shutouts in 2024. He's got the skill set to be a day 1 impact player for Minnesota United F.C.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Leon Koehl, M, Maryland
    
    
26. Colorado Rapids: Zac Kelly, G, Michigan State
    
    
    Here's the first surprise of this 2025 MLS Mock Draft. I have LAFC losing in the Divisional Round missing the 2024 Western Conference Finals as LAFC is the two time Western Conference Champion and the number one seed for the second time in three years.
    
    
    
    Colorado needs a goalie. Zac Kelly is my second best goalie, but he doesn't wow me on tape like Donovan Parisian on San Diego and he doesn't have Wessell Speel's size. That's why he ends up on Colorado. Parisian is my lone first round goalie, but Miami and Colorado both need goalies with Duke's goalie Speel at 6-7 and Kelly being the 2024 Big 10 Goalie Of The Year at Michigan State, it is safe to say those two goalies get bumped into the late first round since each of the last three MLS Drafts from 2022-2024 has had a minimum of 3 first round goalkeepers drafted.
    
    
    
    The 6-0 190 lb Zac Kelly had more shutouts than Speel with his 7 shutouts besting Speel's 6. Kelly went 5-7-5 on the year during his senior season at Michigan State despite a losing record. Michigan State did dethrone Marshall in the College Spring League which started out with Bowling Green, Cleveland State, Dayton, ichigan, Louisville, Marshall, Ohio State, and Xavier. Michigan State and Pittsburgh joined that league this past Spring. Kelly's goaltending was a big reason why Florian told me about Michigan State as a potential dark horse this past Summer. Kelly has the goods to crack the first round and Colrado needs a goalie in the worst way possible.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Deylen Veilos, D, Ohio State
    
    
    
    
27. Orlando City S.C.: Noah Adnan, D, Stanford
    
    
    Orlando City S.C. runs a 4-2-3-1 formation. Orlando City S.C. drafts a center back as well as a left back for depth here. Stanford defenseman Noah Adnan has lasted too long.
    
    
    
    The 6-2 180 lb Noah Adnan led Stanford to a PAC 12 Title in 2020. Noah Adnan had 4 goals, 3 assists, and 11 points in 2023. Noah Adnan has 2 goals, 1 assist, 5 points, and helped Stanford record 6 shutouts in 2024. Noah Adnan has the versatility to play the 2 at left back, the 4 at sweeper, and the 5 at center back.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Sekou Agard, D, Mercer
    
    
28. Seattle Sounders: Joran Gerbet, M, Clemson
    
    
    Seattle has a 4-2-3-1 formation. The Seattle Sounders go for value and add another right back for depth to bolster the defense.
    
    
    
    The 5-11 160 lb Joran Gerbet can play the 3 at right back, the 6 at defensieve midfielder, and the 8 at central midfielder. Joran Gerbet was the PAC 12 Freshman Of The Year at Oregon State. He spent two seasons at Oregon State before transferring to Clemson where he was part of a National Championship winning team in 2023.
    
    
    
    Joran Gerbet had 3 goals, 3 assists, 9 points, and 10 shutouts in his first season at Clemson in 2023. Joran Gerbet has 4 goals, 5 assists, 13 points, and helped Clemson record 5 shutouts after Clemson lost some talent from their championship squad in 2024.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Albert Thorsen, F, Pittsburgh
    
    
29. New York Red Bulls: Manu Duah, M, UC Santa Barbara
    
    
    The New York Red Bulls have most of their starters back. They do not have a left winger under contract unless you count Jonathan Lewis whose not bad, but better at midfielder. New York goes for value over need as they can get a left winger for depth behind Lewis in the second round. One of the four Generation Adidas players is still there and that's Manu Duah as he joins Alex Harris, Dean Boltz, and Tate Johnson.
    
    
    
    The 6-4 180 lb Manu Duah could be a gem in this draft. He posted 0 goals, 1 assist, 1 point, and helped UC Santa Barbara recorded 5 shutouts. He works hard and plays harder. He's one of the more effective defenders in the draft. He's probably either a 6 at defensive midfielder or an 8 at central midfielder. I had him in the second round, but there are conversations about him going first or second overall. I don't think he's going to go that high, but Duah isn't slipping out of the first round.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Kenan Hot, M, Duke
    
    
30. Los Angeles Galaxy: Max Floriani, D, Saint Louis
    
    
    Los Angeles gets a second defender. Owen Zarnick was a player I mocked at 20 and the Los Angeles Galaxy and as much as I want to keep him here, Saint Louis center back Max Floriani already has a contract with MLS inked as a senior. If you are a senior and you get a guaranteed contract before the MLS Super Draft you usually go in the first round.
    
    
    
    The 6-2 180 lb Max Floriani has been on my radar since Kipp Keller left Saint Louis following the 2022 MLS Super Draft. Max Floriani had 3 goals, 1 assist, 7 points, 10 shots on goal, and helped Saint Louis record 9 shutouts while making the 2024 Atlantic 10 Championship Game. Max Floriani was also a former Gatorade High School player Of The Year in Illinois on a 15-0 team.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Josiah Blanton, D, James Madison